Travis Hunter's NFL debut brings him a step closer to the unthinkable
Before the calendar flips, though, we need to acknowledge something that's taking place that a lot of us didn't think was possible. Something I still have a great deal of skepticism about but have to admit it's looking more and more likely to happen. Travis Hunter is doing it, y'all. He's playing both sides of the ball in the NFL.
Now, listen, he did it in limited action in a single preseason game, so I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. The No. 2 overall pick took 11 snaps on offense and eight snaps on defense in Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with a series off in between his appearance on each side. But the way he was deployed makes it clear the Jacksonville Jaguars at least want to give him the opportunity to have an impact on both sides. That's the part that has me so locked in what happens next.
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On Saturday, Hunter's impact was minimal. In his lone offensive series, he had two catches for nine yards. In two defensive series, he wasn't targeted and only stood out for a missed tackle. Those splits, though, make you wonder. Are the Jaguars really going to play Hunter an equal amount on each side of the ball?
That's the part I remain skeptical about. I have no doubt Hunter can be a good and maybe even great wide receiver or cornerback in the NFL. But to be good at both while playing both a close to equal amount? I don't believe Hunter or anyone else could even stay healthy long enough to try. Which is why I'm so curious to see how the Jaguars move forward this preseason.
It's possible his near-even split on limited snaps was intentional to see exactly what they have before making a decision either way. But I'd be surprised if it results in anything other than Hunter gaining a permanent starting spot on one side of the ball (probably alongside Trevor Lawrence) while carving out a limited role on the other. Not because he didn't prove to be good enough to do both. It'll be for his own preservation.
A'ja Wilson makes WNBA history
Again. A'ja Wilson made WNBA history again. This time, the three-time MVP put her name in the record books as the first player in WNBA history to record 30-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in a single game.
Wilson went for 32 and 20 Sunday against the Connecticut Sun, helping the Las Vegas Aces erase a 12-point deficit for their fourth win in a row and sixth in the last seven games. They're rolling, and a big part of that is Wilson and her 29-13 average over the last three games.
This 30-20 game just adds to the legend that is A'ja Wilson, who already owns the WNBA's single-season scoring and rebound records. She's also the career points per game record holder, among other incredible career accomplishments.
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This article originally appeared on For The Win: Travis Hunter plays both sides in NFL preseason debut
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